Truck



Dec. .30, 1924. 1,521,029

F. T. L BBEY TRUCK Filed March 29, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 was; 39, 1924 1,521,029

F. T. LOBBEY TRUCK Filed March 29, 1921 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented ec. 30, 1924.

FRED T. LOBBEY, OF ST. LOUI S, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR- T0 SULLIVAN MACHINERY GOM- PANY, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

TRUCK.

Application filed. March 29, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED T. LOBBEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the county of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain-new and useful Improvements in Trucks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification. I

My invention relates to trucks and more especially to mining machine trucks.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved means whereby a mining machine may be moved about a mine, the same being especially directed to the provision of improved means whereby the machine may be transported up or down the sharp grades or pitches so often encountered in mine track. More specifically, my invention has for its object to provide an improved means whereby the mining machine under its own power may be propelled about the mine under ordinary conditions and when a steep grade is encountered utilize its power in an improved manner to propel the machine up the grade, the mechanism for accomplishing this propulsion being so designed as to supplement the tractive effort of the usual propulsion means and not to operate independently thereof. A further object of my invention is to provide mechanism which may be operative in lowering the mining machine down grade in an improved manner under the control of an operator. Other objects of my invention will appear in the course of the following specification and appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown for purposes of illustration one form which my invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings,

Fig. l is a side elevation of a mining machine and truck therefor equipped with one form of my improvement, the machine being. shown. upon an up-grade.

Fig. 2: is a plan view of the construction shown. in Fig. 1 with the mining machine removed from the truck.

Fig-3 is an end view of the mining machine truclc shown in Fig. 2, the-view being taken from the righthand end thereof with the reel removed to facilitate illustration.

Fig: 4 is a section on the line 4'4 of Fig. 3 in a plane extending longitudinally'ofthe machine.

Scrial No. 456,605.

Fig. 5 is a similar view on the plane in' dicated by the line 55 of Fig. 3.

In the illustrative construction, it will be observed that I have shown a complete selfpropelled mining machine 1 of standard form mounted upon a usual transport truck 2 which is in turn carried upon wheels 3 adapted to move back and forth along the track 4. As in the usual construction, these wheels 3 are propelled through suitable driving connections herein shown in the form of chain and sprocket connections 5 and 6, from a rear power shaft 7 preferably disposed transversely at the rear end o-f'the" truck and operatively connected through suitable gearing, not shown, with an upstanding shaft 8 carried at the rear end of the truck, which in turn carries a gear 9 adapted to mesh with a corresponding gear upon the mining machine, so that the power of the latter may be transmitted through the truck driving mechanism to propelthe truck. As is usual the rotation of the shaft 7 is controlled through a well-known friction drive 13 controlled by a controlling wheel 14. cable reel 15 is carried by the rear end of the truck upon suitable support members-16 and this is driven by means of a friction wheel 17 engaging the rim 18 of one end of the reel 15 and in turn driven by a belt or chain 19 from the shaft 7.

Mounted on the shaft 7 is a spur gear 20' intermeshing with a spur gear 21 mounted upon a suitable stub shaft 22 and the spur gear 21 in turn meshes with a gear 23 secured to a transverse shaft 24 upon which is rotatably mounted a traction reel 25.- Slidably mounted upon the shaft 24 is a clutch member 26 which, however, is keyed to the shaft 24 and hence rotates therewith. The clutch member 26 is provided with projections 2'? adapted to interlock with: projections 28 carried on the reel 2'5-and accordingly up'o'n shifting of the clutch toward the reel th'efree'l. will be. 'jicked up by the shaft 24 and rotated. therewith. A suitable oscillating clutch controlling. lever 29 is pivoted upon a short standard 30' upon thetruck frame and i sadapted toengage or disengage the clutch member 26 with.

the reel 25. For the: purpose of controlling the rate of rotation of'the' drum or r-ee1f25, I provide one head thereof with a collar 31 coaxially disposed with the drum and adapted to be engaged by a friction band Ilt 32 whose operation is controlled by a hand wheel 33 controlling a threaded rotatable shaft 34 which cooperates with a nut 55 secured to the free end of the friction band 32,

At this point, an important feature should be noted, which that the peripheral speed of a cable wound upon the drum is equal to the peripheral speed of the wheels 3 and accordingly that, though by reason of the steepness of the pitch of a hill in the mine, the wheels 3 may slip and fail to grip the rails,'when my improved auxiliary traction means is in operation the speed of motion of the truck will be the same would be the case were the wheels biting. and accordingly such traction as the waeels may obtain will assist the truck in advancing along the track. it will be understood that the reel 25 is disposed between the sides of the truck and that a. cable 36 is secured at one end thereto and is provided at its opposite end with a pin 37 by means of which it may be positively engaged with a point in advance of the truck in moving up a hill.

From the foregoing description, the mode of operation of my improved construction will be readily apparent. ld lien the machine in moving about the mine comes to a hill too steep to be negotiated through the use of its ordinary truck driving mechanism, the flexible member 36, which may ordinarily be wound upon the drum, is unwound therefrom and connected to a fixed abutment as, for instance, the member 37 disposed at a point further up the grade, or at the top of the same as conditions permit. After this connection has been made, the clutch 26 may be thrown in, and by the positive traction afforded through the druid 9,5, the machine may be hauled up the grade. During the use of the drum 25, however, it will be evident that the wheels 3 are still rotating and that their traction will accordingly aid very materially in moving the machine up the hill. During the process of passing down a steep pitch. it will also be noted that by my improved means it is possible to regulate the speed of the truck as desired through simply the connecting of the flexible connection 36 at a point adjacent the top of a pitch and then allowing the machine to run down the hill with. the clutch 26 out and with the brake band 32 controlling the speed of the machine by its friction with the collar 31.

As a result of my improvement, it will be observed that the supplemental mechzn nism provided may be applied to a mining machine truck of standard form without any change in the machine proper and with only a slight change in the truck and that it may remain upon the truck during use of the same under normal. conditions without in any Way interfering with the movement of the truck about the mine. It will also be observed that whenever it is desired to utilize my improved construction, the same may be very readily put into use by a very simple operation involving only the connection of the flexible member to a suitable fixed element. Attention is also directed to the fact that my improved mechanism may be very readily and cheaply manufactured and is of a rugged character well adapted to service conditions. These and other advantages of my improvement will, however, be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. This application is a continuation in part of my application Serial No. 211,812, filed Jan. 14, 1918.

.i hile I have in this application specifically described one form which my invert tion may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

l Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a mining apparatus, a mining machine, a truck frame relative to which said machine is bodily movable during loading and unloading, truck driving mechanism on said truck driven by said mining machine when in a predetermined position on said truck including a rotatable shaft and running gear driven from said shaft, a sup plemental winding member driven. from said shaft and so disposed relative to the path of said i'nachine as to permit free movement of the latter, and a flexible membcr wound on said member connectible to effect bodily movement of said truck.

2. In amining apparatus, a mining ma chine, a truck frame relative to which said machine is bodily movable during loading and unloading, truck driving mechanism on said truck driven by said mining machine when in a predetermined position on said truck including a rotatable shaft and running gear driven from said shaft, and supplemental means distinct from said running gear so disposed as to maintain the height of the machine pathway close to the truck wheels during transport and operatively connected with said shaft whereby said truck may be propelled. up'an' incline.

in a mining apparatus, a mining machine. a truck frame relative to which said machine is bodily movable during loading and unloading, truck driving mechanism on said truck driven by said mining machine when in a predetermined position on said truck including running gear. and supplemental means operatively connected therewith. and rotating at ahigher speed than said running gear wherebv said truck may be propelled up or lowered down an incline,

said means being so disposed relative to the path of said machine as to permit free movement of the latter.

4. In a mining apparatus, a mining machine, a truck frame relative to which said machine is bodily movable during loading and unloading, truck driving mechanism on said truck driven by said mining machine when in, a predetermined position on said truck including a rotating shaft, a supplemental winding member driven by said shaft and so disposed as to maintain the height of the machine pathway close to the truck wheels during transport, and a flexible member wound on said member and connectible to a point exterior to said truck frame to effect bodily movement of the latter, the winding speed of said flexible member being substantially equal to the speed imparted to the truck by the truck driving mechanism.

In a mining apparatus, a mining machine, a truck frame relative to which said machine is bodily movable during loading and unloading, truck driving mechanism on said truck driven by said mining machine when in a predetermined position on said truck including a rotating shaft and supplemental truck propelling mechanism actuated by said shaft, to impart a movement to said truck substantially equal to the peripheralspeed of the truck wheels, said supplemental mechanism being so disposed relative to the path of the machine as to permit free movement of the latter and to maintain the height of the machine pathway close to the truck Wheels during transport.

6. In a mining apparatus, a mining machine, a truck frame relative to which said machine is bodily movable during loading and unloading, truck driving mechanism on said truck, driven by said mining machine when in a predetermined position on said truck normally operative to propel said truck, and supplemental truck driving mechanism adapted, when in operation, to cause the speed of the normally operative truck driving mechanism substantially to correspond to the speed of the truck, said supplemental mechanism being so disposed relative to the path of said machine as to permit free movement of the latter and to maintain the height of the machine pathway close to the truck Wheels during transport.

7. In a mining apparatus, a mining ma chine, a truck frame relative to which said machine is bodily movable during loading and unloading, wheels and axles therefor, wheel driving mechanism on said truck driven by said mining machine when in a predetermined position on said truck including a rotating shaft other than the Wheeled axles, supplemental winding means driven by said shaft and adaptedto cooperate in the propulsion of the truck, said supplemental mechanism being so disposed relative to the path of said machine as to permit free movement of the latter and' to maintain the height of the machine pathway close to the truck wheels during transport, and: means for controlling the connection bet veen said shaft and driving mechanism.

8. In a mining apparatus, a mining machine, a truck frame relative to which said machine is bodily movable during loading and unloading, running gear for said truck frame, a shaft connected to said running gear driven by said mining machine when in a predetermined position on said truck to drive the same, supplemental truck propellingnieans consisting of a drum driven by said shaft and a flexible connection wound on said drum and adapted to be secured to a fixed point outside of said truck, said means being so disposed relative to the path of said machine as to permit free movement of the latter and to maintain the height of the machine pathway close to the truck wheels during transport.

9. The combination with a wheeled mining machine truck frame having guides adapted to slidably receive a mining ma chine and carrying truck wheel driving mechanism adapted in one position of the mining machine thereon to be. operatively connected to the machine and driven thereby, of a supplemental propelling mechanism having a flexible member disposable longitu'dinally beneath said truck frame and a cooperating drum disposed on the rear end of said truck frame and driven by said truck driving mechanism.

10. The combination with a wheeled mining machine truck frame movable over a trackway having guides adapted to slidably receive a mining machine and carrying on its rear end a truck wheel driving element adapted to be driven by a mining machine, of supplemental propelling mechanism having a flexible guiding member disposable longitudinally beneath said frame substantially along the center line of the trackway and a cooperating drum therefor, disposed on the rear end of said truck frame and driven by rotation of said element.

11. The combination with. a wheeled mining machine truck frame adapted to carry a mining machine. of cable reeling mech nism including a reel carried on the rear end of said truck frame, and a supplemental winding drum carried on the rear end of said truck frame and carrying a flexible member. said drum having provision for power rotation by a mining machine on said truck frame and being so disposed relative to said reel as to permit the free rotation of the latter and permit said flexible member being disposed longitudinally beneath said truck frame.

12. The combination with a Wheeled mining machine truck frame adapted to carry a mining machine, of cable reeling mechanism including a reel carried on the rear end of said truck frame, and a supplemental Winding drum carried on the rear end of said truck frame and carrying a flexible member, said drum having provision for power rotation by a mining machine on said truck frame to vary the length of said flexible member and said drum and reel being driven through a single power connection to said mining machine.

In testimony whereof I ailiX my signature.

FRED T. LOBBEY. 

